Improvement in buggy-tops



J. H. &. E. M. KELLER.

'IBUGGY-TOP,

Patented July 3, 1877.

3 5 limb QYMALQA'TTOIIQ-IJEYS? UNITED JOHN H. KELLER Ann EDMOND M. KELLER, oFoLYDE, OHIO.

IMPROVEMENT IN BUGGY-TOPS.

Specificationforming part of Letters Patent No. [92,650, dated July 3, 1877 application filed May 14, 1877.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, J our: H. KELLER and EDMOND M. KELLER, of Clyde, in the county of Sandusky and State of Ohio, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Buggy-Tops and we do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it pertains to make and use it, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form part of this specification.

Our invention relates to certain improvements in canopy buggy-tops 5 and consists of a rear supporting-standard having movement in a vertical plane, and constructed so as to admit the top of a buggy to be raised, lowcred, or held in any intermediate angle of inclination thereby. This standard is connected to the central rear portion of the top-frame, and is provided with a longitudinal slot in its upper body portion, in which a clamping device has sliding adjustment. This latter is connected to a brace frame or rod secured to the top of the buggy, and by means of the clamp being loosened and moved in its sliding slot the said top can be correspondingly lowered, held upright, or maintained in a slanting position between these two extremes.

Referring to the drawings, Figure 1 is a view, in side elevation, of a buggy-box provided with our invention. 'Fig. 2 is a rear elevation of the same.

The box of the buggy may be made as desired, and it, together with the top, the front side standards, and their several connecting parts, have no material bearing upon the invention but any other suitable form or construction might be substituted therefor without departing from the principle of our improvement.

The vertical upright or supporting frame A, which gives lower end bearing to the rear central standard B of the top, is formed with the straight arm a, which is secured by any suitable means to the frame-work of the box, and the rectangular arm I) secured to the under side of the rear portion of the seat. It is jointed at its upper extremity with the rear central standard, so as to give to the latter free movement in a vertical plane, the standard being bifurcated at its joining extremity therewith, so as to inclose either lateral side of the vertical support, and permit an ordinary pivotal bolttoconnectthetwo. Alongitudinal slot, 0, is formed in a transverse line passing through the body of the standard, which is of any desired length, either longer or shorter; but for ordinary purposes we have found that if it extends from the upper extremity down approximately a little more than half the length of the standard, it-is suflicient. Within this slot the clamping pin or screw D has free travel, and acts,as a sliding support, upon which the brace-rod E has bearing. This connecting-brace is secured to the rear cross-bar of the top-frame, so as to support the latter.

It is preferably made with aT-end formation,

which is fastened, by screw or other engaging device, to the under side of the cross-bar, while its body proper may be slightly curved out to its joining with the clamping-screw D. It is here made with an opening corresponding to this screw, which latter has a thumb-clip, d, by which it may be turned in either direction. It also is provided with a head at its extremity, opposite to that of the handle d, between which and the standard B the braceis clamped.

It is apparent that other clamping mechanism can be used, if desired, for this just described, the object being to provide a connecting-support for the rear brace E which will move throughout the length of the sliding slot 0, and thereby allow the top of the buggy to be raised, lowered, or held in any intervening angle of inclination.

To operate the device the handle of the clamp can be readily reached by persons in the buggy, and by turning it in one direction the binding pressure upon the brace-rod is removed, when the top can be adjusted as desired. The clamp is then made to again bind the brace-rod to the side of the rear standard, and securely hold the top in proper position.

The lower joint of the standard allows of its inclination at any angle in a vertical plane passing through the length of the buggy, and as the clamp slides up or down in its adjusting-slot, a corresponding movement is made at this lower supporting-joint, which acts as a pivotal center.

While we prefer to use butpue of these rear standards, which is secured centrally to the top, as shown and described, we do not limit our invention thereto, butinclude in the same standards so made and operating, whether on the rear sides or the center only, and in any number-one, two, or more on a buggy, carriage, or other top vehicle.

Having thus fully described our invention, what we claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The combination, with a canopy-top, of side supports and a rear adjustable and locking brace, the lower end of which is jointed to a standard secured to the buggy-box, substantially as described.

2. The combination, with a canopy-top and intermediate adjusting mechanism, of the central rear standard, engaging with the same at its upper extremity, while its lower end connects by a loose hinge-joint to a stationary standard fastened to the buggy-box, substantially as described.

3. The combination, with the canopy-top and brace-rod secured to its central rear portion, of the clamp and connecting rear standard, the latter provided with the longitudinal slot, inwhich the said clamp has sliding adjustment, substantially as described.

In testimony that we claim the foregoing we have hereunto set our hands this 9th day of May, 1877.

JOHN H. KELLER. EDMOND M. KELLER. Witnesses:

J. H. RHODES, G. 0. DIMM. 

